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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23158669">For the love of gods</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvardensurana/pseuds/vvardensurana'>vvardensurana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pillars of Eternity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:55:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>518</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23158669</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvardensurana/pseuds/vvardensurana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zinnia takes Aloth to meet her master from her time at the monastery. Includes pre-game and post-game events.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aloth Corfiser/The Watcher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>For the love of gods</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a very short story that I hope will supplement future stories of Zinnia's background and in-game adventures. Zinnia is a fire godlike monk, for context. Hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The gods love you, Zinnia.” Nyrico was still speaking, despite the hurt, despite the burning. Zinnia shuddered over his broken form, losing all the composure she had been painstakingly taught to hold onto.</p><p>“How could you say that?! After all they’ve done, all they’ve allowed?!” Fierce tears fell from her face onto him, but did nothing to soothe the pain, or to prevent the inevitable. He smiled up at her sadly, tightening his hand around hers with the last of his strength.</p><p>“What is a god, but someone who loves you?”</p><p>-</p><p>He had it half-right.</p><p>Zinnia and Aloth made their way up the overgrown, grassy hill just as the sun began to dip below the horizon.</p><p>“He’s here.” Zinnia gestured toward a time-worn arrangement of stones, the least scorched out of the rubble that remained strewn around the area.</p><p>“Your master.” Aloth spoke softly, taking in the scene and its significance.</p><p>“You brought me to meet your family, it was only fair that I’d return the favor.” Zinnia smiled brightly at him. <em>Always smiling</em> thought Aloth, returning a grin, though he knew it must look sad, as much as he knew of the sadness that stirred within her now.</p><p>She spun between him and the makeshift grave. “Aloth, meet Nyrico, I’ve told him lots about you! Nyrico, this is Aloth, A treasured friend, an unwavering companion, and,” she paused, a fierce, familiar look on her face. “Someone that I love incredibly, terribly, and would do absolutely anything for.”</p><p>Despite preparing for such a statement, Aloth was nevertheless left breathless. His eyes widened as he felt a familiar flush creep up his face—an old habit he thought he'd shook. The love between them rarely went unsaid these days, but he still longed for every precious moment like this between them. The reds and pinks of the dying sunset took on a new life reflecting off of her hair and skin. He never thought he’d find somewhere he belongs so completely.</p><p>“Nyrico.” Aloth addressed the rock pile, while holding Zinnia’s gaze intently. “Knowing Zinnia has been the one true light in my life, not even the gods could tear my love for her away.” He embraced her as she suddenly approached closer, feeling the warmth of her fiery hair, the warmth of golden tears falling from her face onto his shoulder. “Not in this life, not in the next thousand.”</p><p>-</p><p>“The gods love you.”</p><p>Zinnia blinked as she gazed up at the starry sky, now laying down in the soft grass next to Aloth, close enough that his long hair tickled her neck and she could feel the slow, reassuring rise and fall of his breathing.</p><p>She wasn’t able to pick up on the full significance of the message at the time, but despite everything, <em>No</em>, perhaps it was because of everything, Zinnia was able to complete her master’s intended sentiment.</p><p>“A god is someone I love” Zinnia thought, turning closer to her companion, hands intertwined.</p><p>“And is someone who loves me in return.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“<em>To love another person is to see the face of God</em>.” -Victor Hugo, Les Misérables</strong>
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